Introduction
Case Management is a useful process aimed at “facilitating, managing, planning, evaluating, and advocating for appropriate options that can satisfy the health needs of different individuals” (Park, Chesla, Rehm, & Chun, 2011, p. 2374). Case Managers should understand the socio-cultural issues associated with different populations. Such professionals should collaborate with the targeted populations in order to get the best health outcomes. Case Managers should consider specific cultural attributes such as effective communication, respect, peace, and family integrity in order to support the health needs of every Asian American. This essay examines the cultural aspects associated with many Asian Americans.
General Background: Overview of the Culture
The United States “is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world” (Summers, 2011, p. 27). The number of Asian Americans in the nation has increased tremendously. This cultural group has also become diverse. Some of the common subgroups include “the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Indonesians, Vietnamese, and Thais” (Park et al., 2011). The first Asian Americans migrated from Mexico in the 1840s. This group increased significantly after the World War II. More Asian Americans migrated to the US between 1970 and 1990. This group forms over 5 percent of the country’s population. This percentage is equivalent to 20 million citizens. Majority of these individuals reside in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Some Asian Americans also live in Massachusetts, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania.
Traditions, Beliefs and Practices
Asian Americans embrace different cultural practices. To begin with, the major religious practices include Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Such religions explain why many Asian Americans have strong family systems. Children are expected to respect their elders. They should “also never bring shame to their families” (Pan, Huey, & Hernandez, 2011, p. 17). Every person should “focus on the integrity and survival of the family” (Pan et al., 2011, p. 18). Some values such as balance, harmony, happiness, and peace are relevant to these people. Many Asian Americans do not engage in confrontations. They support their cultural values using effective communication. Chinese New Year is a common holiday among these subgroups (Pan et al., 2011). They cook different foods. They also perform various rituals throughout the holiday.
What Case Managers Should Know
Many people require the best support from different Case Management Services. Case Managers should consider the cultural values embraced by these Asian Americans. They should respect the families and hierarchies of such Asians. This practice will create a safe environment for effective service delivery. The approach will also encourage more individuals to get the required support. Respect is mandatory whenever communicating with members of this group (Milaney, 2011).
Case Managers should observe different festivals such as the Chinese New Year. This approach will “create a proper climate that promotes direct interaction with different clients” (Milaney, 2011, p. 284). Case Managers should never confront these individuals. The practice can create an unwelcoming environment. These considerations will “ensure every Case Manager achieves the best goals through effective communication, advocacy, and service facilitation” (Pan et al., 2011, p. 19).
Conclusion and Personal Reflection
Case Management is an evidence-based practice that can support the changing needs of culturally-diverse populations. This assignment has equipped me with new concepts and ideas that can support my future goals. However, I was unable to identify some of the unique cultural practices embraced by different Asian Americans. I used the provided website to find the required articles. I now understand why Case Managers should be culturally-sensitive. This practice will support the health needs of many societies (Milaney, 2011).
Reference List
Milaney, K. (2011). The 6 Dimensions of Promising Practice for Case Managed Supports to End Homelessness, Part 1: Contextualizing Case Management for Ending Homelessness. Professional Case Management, 16(6), 281-287. Web.
Pan, D., Huey, S., & Hernandez, D. (2011). Culturally-Adapted versus Standard Exposure Treatment for Phobic Asian Americans: Treatment Efficacy, Moderators, and Predictors. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology Journal, 17(1), 11-22. Web.
Park, M., Chesla, C., Rehm, R., & Chun, K. (2011). Working with Culture: Culturally Appropriate Mental Health Care for Asian Americans. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1(1), 2373-2382. Web.
Summers, N. (2011). Fundamentals of Case Management Practice: Skills for the Human Services. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Web.